Recipe #8: Сирене по шопски (Cirene Po Shopski)

Сирене по шопски is simple to prepare. It’s too salty for my tastes, but Bulgarians seem to love it. The hot peppers and eggs can be omitted depending on your personal tastes.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound сирене (feta cheese)
1/3 pound other cheese (mozzarella or your choice)
butter
2 hot peppers – diced
2 tomatoes – diced
2 roasted peppers – diced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Take two гювече or гюведже pots (small earthware pots with lids) and butter the pots. Put a layer of crumbled cheese, then a layer of peppers, tomatoes, and spices, and then more cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Then crack an egg on top of each dish, sprinkle with cayenne pepper, and cook until the egg is the consistency you like.